The Fall Ch. 04

A big thank you to Brenda for beta-ing this.

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Coming to the realization that she may have given her unwilling slave a bit too much opium, Eliza unbuckled the straps holding Dr Maxwell down. When she calculated his weight, he had looked larger in his clothes. Damn. Sighing dramatically, she quickly mopped up the mess she left between his legs, as it was obvious that he was going to be unable to do so himself. He was now free and had barely bothered to move off the table. If she didn't act quickly he would fall asleep, and there was no way she could transport his dead weight.

"Wake up Doctor! It's time for you to escort me home."

Jonathan's eyes fluttered open, and he regarded his former captor for a moment before closing them again, clearly dismissing her. "No."

"If you don't get up this instant, I will tell my Uncle and anyone who will listen that you took advantage of my delicate mental state." She tapped her chin thoughtfully, "Hmm, I wonder what little Nettie Parvoy thinks of your pelvic massages...I heard she finds them quite horrifying."

The doctor's eyes snapped open and he glared at her, but the effect was lost as she could tell that his mind was still fuzzy. "You wouldn't dare."

Eliza smiled maliciously and slapped his inner thigh. "Oh, I would dare. Now get up and get dressed."

Jonathan sat up on the table and nearly swooned as his head tried to keep up with the movements of his body. He felt sick to his stomach, not only from the drugs, but from what he had just been forced to endure. Yes, he would escort her back to her flat as promised, then he would insure that Miss Wesley was sent to Dr Brown, as she was clearly out of her mind and very dangerous. He would send a letter to her Uncle first thing in the morning, assuring him that she was incurable.

As her new toy was taking an eternity to put his clothes back on, Eliza wandered around the office, pocketing anything she could use at a later time or date. Kisuke's old supplies were running low.

~30 minutes later~

The hired taxi was thundering over the cobblestones at a pace Dr Maxwell was not pleased with. As much as he wanted to be rid of the Wesley woman, he wanted to sleep more, and their current pace was preventing that. The carriage rattled again, and it was all he could do to keep the contents of his stomach down. Pressing his damp forehead against the cool window in an effort to try and ease his headache, he prayed silently they would reach Hiborn Street soon. He just knew the damned – yes, damned - woman told the driver to hurry as he was locking up the office. He was sure she was aware that her behavior was beyond deplorable and wanted to be rid of him.

Eliza glanced over at her current traveling companion, noting that he looked a bit green around the gills. She smirked. Telling the driver to rush was a good idea. Giving the driver a ten-pound note to follow her instructions to the letter was an even better idea. She was also positive that by now, her little doctor would give his left arm just to sleep. Both the opium and the release he obtained earlier would have sapped the energy right out of him. Yes, now was the time to find out a bit about her current procurement, if only to make sure that no one would be missing him for the next day or so. Not that she was worried about any middle class housewives.

"Doctor, does your wife complain when you work so late?" she nonchalantly asked while absently picking lint from her overcoat.

"Edith died two years prior, but when she lived she never complained."

"I'm sorry to hear that. I'm sure she was a fine woman." To be honest, she wasn't sorry about it, and she was positive his late wife was as dull as yesterday's dishwater. But it solved any issues of a wife coming to look for him.

"Do you have any children? Relatives to look after?" she asked, feigning boredom and looking out the opposite window.

Why wouldn't this infernal woman be quiet? "I have a son, he is four years old. He is my only living family."

"Goodness! I hope you have a live in nanny with the hours you keep!" she falsely admonished while holding her hand to her chest.

He glared at her and sniffed, "Of course I do. I'll have you know that I also employ a butler!"

Eliza turned back to the window and smiled at her refection. A servant wouldn't go looking for their employer for at least a few days, and even then sending a quick note with the Wesley name attached would buy her more time if she needed it. She spent the rest of the ride watching the buildings thin as they headed to the outskirts of London.

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Her voice brought Jonathan out of the light doze he had been enjoying.

"Father bought this building when I was a girl because he thought the little garden out back was just my size. He used it for business meetings up until his death six years ago. My quarters are on the second and third floors."

His eyes half lidded, he nodded absently while the driver opened the door. She began to climb out, and then turned to him expectantly with an eyebrow raised. He scowled. She could not be serious; surely the damned woman could manage a flight of stairs in her own building! But he had promised her uncle, and he was going to need to stay in the man's good graces with the news he would soon be delivering. Repressing a visible shudder, he grabbed his hat and stumbled out after her with none of his usual grace.

Looking around, Jonathan knew that the Wesley family was wealthy. For Miss Wesley's Uncle to refer the building they stopped in front of as a "flat" was preposterous. The main building itself was over a hundred years old, with scrolling ironwork over the windows, and two shops on the first floor that seemed empty.

Miss Wesley walked up the few stone steps and unlocked a nondescript paneled door. She then turned to look at him expectantly before ascending the stairs inside. He followed. If he were any other man he would have sighed with relief. Only another minute or two of being in her company, then he could pay the driver to bring him home and wake him when he arrived.

However, as soon as his feet crossed over the threshold, Jonathan heard the telltale sounds of the horse and carriage pulling away. Spinning around, his head swam with exhaustion, and he nearly fell down in the small entry. Grasping the doorframe and panting, he looked on in horror as the taxi raced off. The driver must have thought he was having a dalliance with Miss Wesley!

"Oh, bollocks." Eliza came back down the stairs frowning.

Jonathan didn't say anything about her lack of decorum; he just continued to stare out into the evening willing back tears that began to gather behind his eyes. He scanned up and down the street, but it was deserted. If he hadn't been dozing for the past thirty minutes, he might have a clue as to where exactly he was. Swallowing a sob and bile from his stomach, he realized the exhaustion was making him far too emotional.

He started when he felt a hand touch his shoulder. "You can stay here for the evening," she flashed him a calm smile and held up her hands placatingly, "in a guest suite of course. Don't worry, there will be available transportation at dawn when the market on Lexington opens."

She looked at him with genuine regret before she ascended the stairs once more with him trudging behind. It took all of his will power to keep his hand on the railing and not climb up on all fours.

At the top of the stairs, Eliza smirked, knowing it was hidden from her newest acquisition. Unlocking the four bolts on the door to her suite, she opened it and allowed him entrance. Things were working out wonderfully. If he even thought about speaking to anyone about this, the driver of the taxi would note that he came home with her and spent the night there. Completely taking advantage of her delicate mental state.

Jonathan walked through the door and stood in the foyer of Miss Wesley's flat. If he wasn't feeling so utterly defeated, he might have thought it was beautiful with the large oak staircase and oil paintings adorning the damasked walls. It took all too long before his bleary vision noticed a maid with blonde ringlets kneeling on the floor with her head bowed.

"Dr Maxwell, this is my maid and personal assistant Ella Rose." The girl glanced up at him either in surprise or quite possibly dread before masking her emotions with a too wide smile and motioning to take his coat.

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